To play well at S&V, Llodra needs all his energy to get to the net quickly, be able to have fast reflexes for volleys, running back for overhead smashes or retrieve the ball after a deep lob.

Even with his energy slightly below max, he will become even more of an easy target for Andy. Andy can hit a fast dipping shot left, right, high lob or even straight at the body (a la Lendl). If he stays back, Andy consistency will overwhelm him. If he comes in, he will get passed.

Llodra will be in deep doodoo comes Saturday

Nice assessment as usual Philip. I have to have faith ...

Because I'm not as much up on the technicalties of the sport as many on this forum (I did play tennis for many years but (a) that was a long time ago, and (b) I never had any formal coaching), I'm just quoting from Llodra's wikipedia here -

The Guardian journalist Xan Brooks described Llodra as "one of those talented, maddening French players in the tradition of Henri Leconte, Guy Forget and Fabrice Santoro; at once supremely gifted and curiously brittle" and that he "plays like he's just flown in from the 20th-century. His game is all dinks and slices and sly changes of pace. To aid his touch on volleys, Llodra is one of the few professionals to use all natural gut strings, which give him better feel at the expense of power at the baseline.

Grabcopy, remember Davis Cup against Troicki? It was SO painful. Could not use different tactics. I have same feeling when I see Roddick charge the net and get passed every time. Think Andy is one of very few players who can actually change his game mid match.

The 31-year-old, who beat 32nd seed Alex Bogomolov Jnr to get a crack at world No 4 Murray, said: 'It's great, I have nothing to lose. Everyone thinks he is going to destroy me but we will see on the court.

However, that's just the problem with those lower-ranked players - they don't have anything to lose so often play lights-out tennis, but for how long can they sustain it? I'm preparing myself for a bumpy ride here.

The 31-year-old, who beat 32nd seed Alex Bogomolov Jnr to get a crack at world No 4 Murray, said: 'It's great, I have nothing to lose. Everyone thinks he is going to destroy me but we will see on the court.

However, that's just the problem with those lower-ranked players - they don't have anything to lose so often play lights-out tennis, but for how long can they sustain it? I'm preparing myself for a bumpy ride here.

I agree, if Llodra serves as well as he can I see a bumpy ride too, probably featuring one or two tie breaks as Llodra can be very solid on serve. I'd definitely have preferred Bogomolov in this round. Andy in 4 i reckon.

8am start? thank goodness for that. Last match I woke at 4am, fell asleep 10 mins after it started and woke up 5 mins after it finished. Nightmare. 8am on a Saturday I can handle! I'm going for Andy in 3, hopefully. He's looking very, very focussed.

Mats Wilander tipping Andy, LOL! Someone must have put something in his coffee! Djoko has clearly been the best male player thus far, then Fed, then Nadal, and then Andy, followed by Berdych.

Nole has such a kind draw. It is impossible for him to lose before the SF really. Raonic, Ferrer or Gasquet could trouble him for a set, but none has the talent or belief to beat him on current form. Our best chance is that he has such an easy run that he is under-prepared and over confident, and Andy improves each match. I really just want to FF to next friday morning, to that night match on Rod Laver Andy v Nole.

Winner of that match wins the tournament, I have no doubts about that.

You mean his draw has been a 'djoker'?Nadals is the best/worst they should have just put him through to the semis.It's too early to tell how in form the top 3 have been due to their ridiculously easy draws. The quarters shall tell us more.